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Treatment of fac-[Rh(apt)3] (apt = 3-aminopropanethiolate) with Pd2+ gives an S-bridged trinuclear complex, [Pd{Rh(apt)3}2]4+ ([1]4+), which is interconvertible with [Pd{Rh(apt)3}2]2+ ([2]2+). This interconversion is accompanied by a drastic change between the PdIV centre with an S6 octahedral geometry in [1]4+ and the PdII centre with an S4 square-planar geometry in [2]2+.

Treatment of fac-[Rh(apt)3] (apt = 3-aminopropanethiolate) with [Cu(CH3CN)4]+ in a 2:3 ratio in water gave a CuI3RhIII2 pentanuclear complex ([1apt]3+), in which two octahedral fac-[Rh(apt)3] units...

The reactions of fac-[Rh(apt)3] (apt: 3-aminopropanethiolate) with PdII and ZnII gave S-bridged RhIII2ZnII trinuclear and RhIII3PdII3 hexanuclear complexes, respectively. The structures of these complexes, determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, were quite different from S-bridged structures derived from fac-[Rh(aet)3] (aet: 2-aminoethanethiolate). This is ascribed to the difference in S–Rh–S bite angles between fac-[Rh(apt)3] with six-membered N,S-chelate rings and fac-[Rh(aet)3] with five-membered N,S-chelate rings.

We discovered that three oxidation states (+II, +III, +IV) of an octahedral nickel center were all stabilized in a newly prepared RhNiRh trinuclear complex, [Ni{Rh(apt)₃}₂]n+, in which the nickel center is bound by six thiolato donors from two redox-inert fac-[RhIII(apt)₃] octahedral units. The three oxidation states of the octahedral nickel center were fully characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, in addition to spectroscopic, electrochemical, and magnetic measurements. The three oxidation states were interconvertible, and the conversion was accompanied by changes in color, magnetism, and Jahn-Teller distortion.

The purpose of present study was to investigate site differences in the effects of strain rate on tendon properties between knee extensors and plantar flexors. Elongation of tendon structures (L) in vastus lateralis and medial gastrocnemius muscles was measured by ultrasonography while participants performed ramp and ballistic contractions to their voluntary maximum, followed by ramp and sudden relaxation. The relationship between muscle force (Fm) and L was fit to linear regression, the slope of which was defined as stiffness of tendon structures. Hysteresis of tendon structures was calculated as ratio of area within Fm-L loop to area beneath loading portion of curve. In knee extensors and plantar flexors, L values at all force levels were significantly lower during ballistic than ramp contractions. However, no significant differences were observed in stiffness of tendon structures between two contractions at both measured sites. Hysteresis of tendon structures was significantly higher during ballistic than ramp contractions for knee extensors and plantar flexors. In conclusion, elongation of tendon structures was lower and hysteresis was greater during ballistic than ramp contractions. Furthermore, site differences in the effects of strain rate on tendon properties were not found between knee extensors and plantar flexors.

Recently synthesized Rh-Ni trinuclear complexes hexacoordinated with sulfur ions, 3-aminopropanethiolate (apt) metalloligand [Ni{Rh(apt)$_{3}$}$_{2}$](NO$_{3}$)$_{n}$ ($n$ = 2, 3, 4), are found to be chemically interconvertible between the nominal Ni$^{2+}$ and Ni$^{4+}$ states. In order to clarify the origins of their interconvertible nature and the stability of such a high oxidation state as the tetravalency from the physical point of view, we have systematically investigated the local 3$d$ electronic structures of [Ni{Rh(apt)$_{3}$}$_{2}$](NO$_{3}$)$_{n}$ by means of soft X-ray core-level absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The experimental data have been reproduced by the single-site configuration-interaction cluster-model simulations, which indicate that the charge-transferred configurations are more stable than the nominal $d$-electron-number configuration for $n=3,4$ leading to the prominent charge-transfer effects. These are also supported by S $K$-edge XAS of [Ni{Rh(apt)$_{3}$}$_{2}$](NO$_{3}$)$_{n}$. Our results imply that the found charge-transfer effects have a key role to realize the interconvertible nature as well as the stability of the high oxidization state of the Ni ions., Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures

We investigated the self-assembled monolayers of octadehydrodibenzo[12]annulene (DBA) derivatives to see the effect of multiple intermolecular interactions on the formation of face-on vs edge-on configurations of planar compounds having weak core to core interactions at the liquid/graphite interfaces by means of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). A DBA derivative having an N-dodecylamide chain at each end of the π-core formed face-on mode self-assemblies at the interfaces of both 1-phenyloctane (PO) and 1-octanoic acid (OA) and graphite. On the other hand, another DBA having both N-dodecylamide chains and methoxymethyl groups formed an edge-on mode self-assembly at the PO/graphite interface. However, at the OA/graphite interface, it formed a face-on mode self-assembly due to the solvent–molecule hydrogen bonds which suppress the intermolecular interactions. These results indicate that by multiple interactions between substituents the edge-on mode of self-assembly can be stabilized, rendering the otherwi...

Three dinuclear palladium(II) complexes with 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy) were synthesized from [Pd(bpy)Cl2] and 3-aminopropanethiol (Hapt) by changing reaction conditions. It was found that Hapt can adop...

The grayscale distribution on the ultrasonic images of tendons may be reduced with alignment of collagen fibers, because ultrasound signal intensity changes with alterations in tendon collagen fiber orientation due to acoustic anisotropy in the tendons. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in the coefficient of variation (CV) of echogenicity in the Achilles tendon during passive dorsiflexion (the angle task) and isometric plantar flexion (the contraction task). Achilles tendon transverse ultrasonic images were collected from 14 healthy individuals every 10° from 20° to -20° (positive values for plantar flexion) in the angle task and every 10% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) from 0% to 70% MVC in the contraction task. The CV of echogenicity was measured in each image. In addition, relative changes in the measured variables between the former half (20-0° in the angle task, 0% to 30% MVC in the contraction task) and the latter half (0° to -20° in the angle task, 40% to 70% MVC in the contraction task) of each task were compared. The CV of echogenicity decreased with increases in the dorsiflexion angle and intensity of isometric contractions. Furthermore, relative changes in the CV of echogenicity were greater at more dorsiflexed positions in the angle task and at lower torque levels in the contraction task. These results suggested that decreases in the CV of echogenicity were partially related to the alignment of the tendon collagen fibers with tendon stretching.

Scintillation properties of Ce3+-doped 20Al(PO3)3-80LiF glasses were investigated in order to seek a candidate for down-scattered neutron scintillator in nuclear fusion diagnostics. The decay constant of APLF80 + 3Ce with 5.5 MeV alpha particles from 241Am radioisotope excitation was measured to be 32.1 ns. Moreover, sufficiently low afterglow decay profile and improved light output of APLF80 + 3Ce were experimentally demonstrated.

We demonstrate 290 nm lasing and femtosecond amplification using a micro-pulling-down method-grown Ce:LiCaAlF 6 crystal, which was excited using dual-side- and four-side-pumping schemes. These results show that the flexibility and lower cost of this growth technique as well as the multi-side pumping configurations provide good prospects for high-power ultraviolet generation that will enhance the applications of the Ce:LiCaAlF 6 laser and amplifier.

We report the vacuum ultraviolet luminescence characteristics of a micro-pulling down method grown Er3+:LiCaAlF6. Emission at 163 nm with a lifetime of 1.3-μs observed with F2 laser (157-nm) pumping. This is one of the shortest emission wavelengths reported from a rare-earth doped fluoride at room temperature.

The suspensions of carbon nanofibers in aqueous poly(vinyl alcohol) solutions were prepared in the presence of spherical carbon black particles, and the steady-shear viscosity and dynamic viscoelasticity were measured for complex suspensions. Although the single suspensions of carbon black are highly stable, the flocculation of carbon nanofibers is promoted by the addition of carbon black particles. The complex suspensions show remarkable shear thickening in the steady-flow and strain hardening in oscillatory shear with large amplitude. The nonlinear responses strongly depend on the carbon black concentration, whereas the dynamic viscoelasticity at low strains in the linear ranges is not significantly influenced. As the highly elastic effects arise from the long-range motion of particles, the possible mechanism may be the orientation of nanofibers in strong shear fields. The suspensions show the time-dependent behavior of viscosity when the time-scale of measurements is shorter than that of structural recovery to the isotropic states.

We explore the potential of Pr- or Ce-doped 20Al(PO3)3–80LiF (APLF80+3Pr or +3Ce) scintillator to observe the lower edge of down-scattered neutron and discriminate fusion originated neutron from strong X-ray signals. APLF80+3Pr or +3Ce scintillator exhibits considerably fast decay profiles and negligible slow-decay components. Using these newly developed APLF80+3Pr or +3Ce scintillators, we have successfully observed fusion-originated neutron signal in the midst of strong X-ray-excited fluorescence in an integrated experiment using our 10 kJ class GEKKO XII Nd-glass laser system. A sophisticated neutron detection system using APLF80+3Pr or 3Ce will be used for the first fast ignition experiment.

The characteristics of an APLF80+3Ce scintillator are presented. Its sufficiently fast decay profile, low afterglow, and an improved light output compared to the recently developed APLF80+3Pr, were experimentally demonstrated. This scintillator material holds promise for applications in neutron imaging diagnostics at the energy regions of 0.27 MeV of DD fusion down-scattered neutron peak at the world's largest inertial confinement fusion facilities such as the National Ignition Facility and the Laser Mégajoule.

In the present paper, two arm micromanipulator for handling and/or assembling of minute objects in a fixed view by use of a pantograph mechanism is proposed and its performance is discussed. The pantograph mechanism has three parallelogram in the mechanism. In case of the pantograph mechanism, when two input actuators of the pantograph mechanism has a linear motion, one of the output link of the mechanism has a motion with constant orientation. And when an input link of the mechanism has a circular motion and when the output link has an endeffector with same length of a radius of the circular motion, the top position of the endeffector does not move. Therefore, if we use the manipulator as cell treatment manipulator, the view of motion area of the top of the endeffector does not move, only the direction of the output link of the endeffector can change like a circular motion. This motion is very useful for treating cells, electric micro devices, etc. Then, first, the motion principle and the motion function of the mechanism are explained. Second, the performance of the manipulator and, especially, the positioning precision of the manipulator are discussed.